Population and Community Dynamics

The study of urban ecology must address the scientific debate on how biodiversity relates to ecosystem function, stability, and resilience (Peterson et al. 1998). Though the term biodiversity has multiple definitions and interpretations, the definition provided by Wilson (1992, 393) may best capture its essence. Wilson emphasizes “the variety of organisms considered at all levels, from genetic variants belonging to the same species through arrays of species to arrays of genera, families and still higher taxonomic level,” as well as “the variety of ecosystems, which comprise both the communities of organisms within particular habitats and the physical conditions under which they live.”